This chapter is building up to a big revelation on Mithmír's past. Hope you enjoy it and please review!
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It was the first night after Legolas had left with Gimli to see the caves; and Mithmír was already lonely. She had eaten dinner with Aragorn and the others in a great Hall, and after then she had declined a walk around Helm's Deep. The Lady Galadriel chose to stay also, to Mithmír's surprise; leaving the two elven women alone while the others went walking. Even the hobbits went; Pippin already extremely talkative – and lacking in coordination - after over-indulging on the fine dinner wines.
They sat in silence for a while, each still at their seat at the great trestle table. It was Galadriel who spoke first, getting up slowly and coming to stand beside Mithmír's chair. 'Do you intend to stay here all night, Daughter of Elves and Men?' She asked in her voice whose power echoed through the many ages of Time she had seen. 'Or would you rather come and walk with me on a different path from the others'?'
'I should come with you, Lady Galadriel,' replied Mithmír softly, suddenly unusually shy. The awesome presence of such a high elf-queen was enough to make nearly anyone nervous; even a fellow elf and a Dúnedain.
'I am glad, maethor-neth [young warrior],' said the Lady with a smile. She moved backwards so Mithmír could get up from her chair.
'After you, my Lady,' said Mithmír politely, motioning for Galadriel to go first.
The High Elf led the way from the Hall out of the Southern entrance; the opposite from the one that the others had taken a little while before. The winding corridor twisted up through the rock and finally reached a single oaken door, its heavy bolts and shutters undone. Mithmír wondered that it was so; for there were still roaming orcs about who should quickly find any unprotected entrance – even if it did, as she rightly guessed, open onto a well-guarded inner courtyard – and enter into the Hornburg. It was explained, however, by a fair Elven voice who called out in Quenya, a tongue in which Mithmír was not adept but certainly sufficiently knowledgeable,
'My Lady! The fairest dawning, Galadriel!' And out from the shadows stepped a tall elf who had been guarding the doorway. He was dark-haired and dressed in the garb most commonly found in Lothlorien: a white and grey tunic which flowed nearly full-length to his feet. He was most definitely one of the High Elves; told by the light shown in his fair face.
Galadriel smiled and stopped walking. 'Suilannad, fen'tirith,' she replied in Sindarin, kindly indicating that this tongue should be used from now on. Greetings, gate-guard. She then turned to Mithmír. 'Mithmír, govad Tondfael.' Mithmír, meet Tondfael. 'A Tondfael, fen'tirith, govad Mithmír.' Tondfael, gate-guard, meet Mithmír.
The tall elf turned his stately head towards Mithmír. He looked at her somewhat oddly; a look in his dark eyes that she could not define. Finally he bowed deeply, and then reached forward to take her hand. He kissed it with velveteen lips; and she blushed; still unused to being shown such courtesy, even after Legolas' prolonged attentions.
'Suilad, Mithmír,' hello, Mithmír, he said in a bold voice, infinitely controlled and measured.
'Suilad,' hello, she replied more confidently than she felt. There was something about this elf which was disturbingly familiar… She felt there was something she should remember, but couldn't; and it was vitally yet important that she did.
Galadriel touched Mithmír's arm delicately but assuredly; while turning her head to the guard. 'Tondfael, togmín ed.' Tondfael, lead us outside.
The High Elf bowed and turned to the door. His movement revealed the longsword at his belt to Mithmír. She could tell by the hilt alone that it was a wondrous weapon; very old and well-cared for. The delicate carvings were intricate in the extreme and worked with thread of gold. She wished to hold it; but did not feel comfortable asking for the honour.
He politely held the door open while Galadriel and Mithmír passed out before him. Afterwards he closed it; the sound making a sharp "clang" in the clear night. They entered into an open courtyard, hidden far behind the main structure of the protective walls of Helm's Deep. It was paved and walled with stone; and lining the sides of the courtyard were arrays of well used weapons – halberds, swords and axes. In the centre was a statue of a mounted fighter of the Mark; his horse rearing and striking out with both front hooves while the rider himself stabbed forward brutally with a short sword. It was strangely moving to Mithmír; striking chords within her of herself and Brialvastor.
'I shall be blunt with you, Mithmír,' said Galadriel suddenly and in Common, turning to the young woman after a final, reverent glance at the stars, as elves often do when the they come under the night sky. 'There are things I need to talk to you about; things you need to know. Your mother, Lómwing,' she said the name with unusual affection, 'has many secrets – as we all do. I am not criticizing her, and do not think so. But there are some things which she would have you know now you have come of age, and are soon to marry.' She smiled compassionately. 'She wishes me to tell you; for she seems to think that I can tell you the full story better than she.' Then the Lady Galadriel laughed out loud; and the sound was water falling onto purest crystal. It lifted the heart of the other two; and Mithmír glanced at Tondfael only to find that he was looking intensely at her. She turned away quickly.
'Yes, my Lady Galadriel? You would tell me these things now, and with Tondfael here?' She tried not to sound suspicious of the gate-guard; but she could little help it. Her mother had always been quiet on her own past; even her own age; seeming to withdraw if asked about it. Now Mithmír was being offered a chance to find out about her own heritage; and she was not sure what would be revealed. She wanted the Lady Galadriel to confirm that it was alright for a complete stranger to hear before she began talking.
'I trust Tondfael with everything, and so shall you before this talk is over,' said Galadriel wisely. 'He must be here for this, for he is of the utmost importance in this.'
'I am,' Asked Tondfael, alert in the extreme. He looked at Mithmír kindly; and smiled. 'Pray, Lady Galadriel, tell us of this young woman's heritage! The name of Lómwing is well-known and loved by me – and if this young woman is akin to that fair elf whom I have been separated from far too long, then I would know it now.'
Mithmír, her curiosity aroused, turned from Tondfael to Galadriel. Her eyes begged for explanation.
Galadriel smiled; looking infinitely wise. 'Are you sure you wish to know, Mithmír? Knowledge can be disturbing and shatter your dreams.'
'I am,' said Mithmír bravely, with surety in her voice. She would not deny herself knowledge of her mother's past. Maybe it would help her understand Lómwing; and the intriguing elf Tondfael…
Galadriel looked at her almost sadly. 'Then I shall tell you…'
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Hope you enjoyed it! All will be explained in the next chapter. Please review!
